I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been locked in a fierce academic rivalry since their undergraduate days thirteen years ago. Both whip-smart and fiercely competitive, they’ve never seen eye to eye—and they’ve never forgotten a slight. When a coveted full-time teaching position at a prestigious university opens up, it’s game on. Jonah wants to move closer to his recently divorced sister and her kids, while Sadie is desperate for the job security and financial stability that come with the role.

But the university’s partner hire clause throws a wrench in their plans. If they want the job, they need to be part of a two-body academic household. And that’s when Sadie hatches her boldest, most outlandish idea yet: what if they fake a marriage to snag the positions for both of them?

Their arrangement is supposed to be purely transactional, a way to finally get ahead in their careers. But as they navigate their new “relationship” in front of colleagues, old feelings and hidden desires start to emerge. Their constant bickering takes on a new, delicious edge. And the forced proximity of their “marriage” begins to blur the lines between what’s fake and what’s very, very real.

An Academic Affair is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance that balances sizzling chemistry with sharp academic wit. McAlister nails the push-pull tension of two fiercely independent people who can’t resist each other—no matter how hard they try. The story is full of lively banter, a believable academic backdrop, and just enough vulnerability to make you root for Sadie and Jonah as they discover that sometimes, the best partnerships come from the most unexpected places.

I wasn’t sure about this book at the start, but I very quickly fell in love with the two main characters, Jonah and Sadie. I loved the concepts of eucatastrophe - good catastrophe and dyscatastrophe - bad catastrophe and loved their love-hate relationship at the start and their fake marriage. I loved the settings and relationships they each had with their sisters and loved how the book went between each of their points of view.

I knew this was going to be good. I’d heard other readers and writers I respect talking about how fantastic it was. And I’ve followed Jodi for a while. Not only is she an amazing romance writer - but an expert in the genre.

But I had no idea how much this book would captivate me, so much so that I don’t want to pick up another book yet so I can just stay in a little Sadie and Jonah bubble. I loved these characters and their friends and family.

The banter was fabulous and super smart. I want to visit that wine bar.

This is a book I’ll definitely be reading again!

Thank you Jodi! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

This book was honestly so much better than expected! Jodi's writing is so witty and engaging, and the banter between Jonah and Sadie made me laugh out loud. The slow burn romance is done perfectly, with Jonah's secret yearning making me wish there was a Jonah in real life!! There is a bit of spice, the perfect amount in my opinion, so there isn't a whole of gratuitous spicy scenes. I loved that romance novels were a key feature in the book, and that it played on popular romance tropes. Slow burn, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one bed...loved it!

Being part of the academic space, I loved the whole university storyline, cutting jobs and budget cuts (which has been happening quite a bit), so it was such an immersive experience reading this book. And also the fact that it's Aussie made it just that bit more special.

I highly recommend this book! It's clever and keeps you on your toes. It reminded me a bit of an Emily Henry book, with the witty dialogue. I especially loved the footnotes, it was a unique and fitting touch. Can't wait for it to be officially released!

I enjoyed this, but I didn't love it. I really enjoyed the beginning with the the history between Jonah and Sadie while they went through uni and were rivals. However, I think maybe I wouldve enjoyed it with more of their rivalry explored with more tension because I found the rest just too slow a burn for me (even though I normally enjoy slow burn romance). I was 60% through and there were barely any "moments" between the MCs. They had good tension and dialogue, but I didn't really feel the chemistry between them for majority of the book, particularly from Sadie to Jonah. It was clear that Jonah always had a crush on her but not sure I fully bought it. Overall an enjoyable romance, and I did also like the academic setting in Australia, but the romance slightly missed the mark for me to become a favourite.

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister (e-ARC)
Pub Date: 4th June 2025

Short Synopsis:
Sadie and Jonah have been academic rivals for years, but when a marriage of convenience becomes the key to securing their dream jobs and giving Jonah the chance to get closer to his divorced sister, they’re forced to work together in ways they never expected. As old grudges fade and their chemistry builds, they discover a surprising connection. But balancing their growing feelings with their professional ambitions isn’t easy in this slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance set in the competitive world of academia.

My Thoughts:
An Academic Affair is really fun and captivating read. Jodi McAlister’s writing is engaging and filled with sharp, witty banter. From the begining I was hooked. The romance has everything, slow burn, fake marriage, forced proximity, and, enemies-to-lovers. I loved the way Sadie and Jonah’s chemistry grew gradually, especially when you find out Jonah has secretly been in love with Sadie from the start. It gave me all the feels!

I appreciated the fascinating look into academia world despite not being familiar with the field, the ambition and power struggles were eye-opening and added unexpected depth to the story. The dual POV was another highlight, offering insight into both characters’ emotional journeys and peeling back the layers of their long-standing rivalry. The book is packed with literary references that fit perfectly with Sadie and Jonah’s backgrounds. Though some were unfamiliar to me, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment and added a unique depth to the world.

One minor things i didn't really enjoy is the ending, it felt slightly rushed compared to the slower pacing of the rest of the story. A bit more emotional closure would have strengthened it further. Overall, An Academic Affair is a fantastic read for fans of slow-burn romance and enemies-to-lovers stories. totally recommend it!

Overall Rating:
⭐️: 4.25/5

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterau for the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts on the book!

*4.5 stars*

*Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for providing a digital copy to review*

As someone who spent a long time at university and at one point considered continuing on with academia, this book spoke to me. Add in that this is a rivals-to-lovers/marriage of convenience in which the FMC and MMC have despised each other for over a decade, and you’ve got a book that I absolutely just ate up.

The banter between these two is *chef's kiss*. This is dual POV, so we get inside the heads of both of them and see just how far gone they are for each other. If you love a ‘he falls first’, then Jonah is your man. He was down bad. And don’t get me started on the footnotes. They added so much to his character and were an amazing addition to his chapters.

Another standout of this book is the sibling relationships. Jonah is trying to rebuild his relationship with his sister, while Sadie is mourning the one with her sister. I loved seeing the growth of each set of siblings and how they start to slowly heal from the trauma of their childhoods.

This is a real slow-burn romance (like over a decade kind of slow burn), and I just loved every bit. Even the academic stuff. Struggling to get a permanent and stable position, and Sadie being constantly ignored and looked down upon by older male professors. The academic world is one I’m familiar with and enjoyed being back in there temporarily.

Jonah and Sadie have been each other’s fiercest competition throughout their university studies and then careers. Desperate for a rare permanent position, the two are pitted against each other for their dream job in literary academia. When Sadie ultimately gets the job, she makes Jonah an offer that seems crazy but just might fix all of his problems.

Jodi McAlister is an academic at my alma mater, and I also have my toes in academia so this hit very close to home! Because it hit so close to home, the start annoyed me a bit and I judged the characters for their research areas but then I was hooked. This is a sweet home grown romcom with warm and real characters (including an MMC who wears cardigans, amplifies the FMC’s voice and shows emotion), complicated family relationships and references to literature throughout. The issues the MCs face as early career academics were incredibly real (even if the resolution wasn’t) and I loved the ‘catastrophe’ in the end and how it replaced the third act break up. Ali Hazelwood fans will love this book.

Omg this has been the cutest academic romance ever. I was laughing out loud and genuinely giggling while reading the book. We adore Jonah and Sadie, like what a perfectly weird but fits like a puzzle piece pairing. The author has done an incredible making it a very cute heartwarming book.

Jonah and Sadie are academic rivals, nemesis, arch enemies, whatever you want to call it. They have been pitted against each other forever. And when it came down to their dream, there was more at stake than just a job. It was someone’s dream vs someone’s family. Even though Sadie hated Jonah, her heart won’t want Jonah to lose out. And Jonah who had a crush on Sadie years ago, is still figuring out if he is still in love with his biggest arch enemy enough to drop out of the job competition. But both hasn’t been brought up to give up fighting. The solution, pretty simple. Fake dating. But what will happen when feelings starts to become real??

Absolutely brilliant book. Loved it so freaking much! The banter and arguments were funny, the book references were smart (I have saved all the book recs mentioned in the book) and the best part was the Taylor Swift songs littered across the pages! Just one criticism, I could have been fine with the Jonah quotes, they kinda broke the flow of the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Australia for this amazing ARC!!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

An Academic Affair was a fantastic read! I loved the enemies/academic rivals-to-lovers setup—Sadie and Jonah are EVERYTHING! This also had marriage of convenience and it was heartfelt, and their banter, THEIR BANTER! Yes please.

I really loved the family dynamics in this book as well. I am secretly really hoping for some more!

If you’re into marriage of convenience, academic rivals, and slow-burn with a big emotional payoff, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster & Jodi McAlister for the ARC 🥰

🩷 Rivals to lovers
🩷 Academic rivals
🩷 Banter
🩷 Romance
🩷 Spice

This book was genuinely so adorable!

The characters
From the very first page, the characters hooked me in; they felt so realistic, and each action they made actually made sense for who they are.
And the banter was bantering! I was screaming and giggling at these scenes. They were honestly just so cute together from the very start.
The writing
This writing was so much fun to read, it was engaging and fast, and a main reason as to why I ended up binging this in one day!
The setting
The setting in Australia was so much fun and really unexpected. It felt like I could actually go visit these locations.

Thank you to Netgalley, Jodi McAlister and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the free e-arc. All opinions are my own.

My favourite rom-com read this year, featuring long-term academic rivals Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher, set amongst Australian university politics and academia.

This story had me laughing loud, tearing up at times and appreciating the eucatastrophe - the euphoric moment of joyous relief.

I really enjoyed the fabulous footnotes, the many literary references, the intellectual sparring and the romantic Tasmanian setting. It all worked so well in this charming academic story.

Tropes -
💞Academic rivals-to-lovers
💞 Marriage-of-convenience
💞One bed
💞He falls first
💞Forced proximity

With a huge thank you to Simon & Schuster (Australia) and NetGalley, for the advanced reading copy, in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

If you'd told me a year ago that some of my favourite romance stories would be set amongst academia, I would have been a little bit baffled. But here I am devouring yet another story about professional rivals to lovers, and I adored it.

This book was fantastic. I loved the Tasmanian setting and the vague familiarity of Australian university politics, and I thought that this story had great pacing. Jonah and Sadie's story developed so naturally, and even in moments where they were at their most argumentative with one another, it didn't feel forced. The pining and the tension in this book is done so well, and I am not normally a massive fan of dual POV, but in this book, it really worked.

I'm still not completely sold on the footnotes in this book that happen during Jonah's chapter. As a stylistic choice, I thought it worked, given the university background that the story had, but in terms of how they interrupted the flow of the story, I'm not quite sold. I also would have loved more from this story when it came to the staff challenging the university at the end, because I found that was resolved more abruptly than I'd like.

If you're a romance novel lover like I am and love novels with Australian settings, I highly recommend reading this book. I think you'll fall in love with Jonah and Sadie just like I did ❤️

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this wonderful ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sadie and Jonah have been rivals since undergraduate days.
Overtime they have sparred, competed in a tight job market, worked together and house shared . Overtime they have come to know each other better than just rivals yet they would not go so far as call each other friend. Until family strife and their dream job rocks their neat and well established rivalry to new and unchartered territory. This leads us to an interstate move, a marriage of convenience and push back from unexpected sources.

The footnotes were cute, literary references and academic sparring were topnotch.   So much so, I momentarily wanted to return to uni for the team teaching experience described. It sounded much more interesting than a PowerPoint. Our characters were not only expected to have brains but use them. Better yet, as readers we are expected to come along.

At the heart of An Academic Affair I think we see not just the relationship between our primary characters,  Sadie and Jonah, but the family they are each intimately part of. They aren't islands in their relationships and the roles they play within their family dynamic is important to how the story unfolds. 

Jonah's pining was exemplary. The emotional intelligence displayed was gorgeous. Yes, a cuppa in the morning in the veggie patch is now the bar to which I will hold my own partner. I would have loved more time spent with them in their new partnership. My personal preferance would have been ajar door rather than open door for their "coming togehter". It felt a bit crass after such deliberate slow burn to bring them to each other.  The pacing of the body of the story was lovely however, the end felt particularly rushed.
I look forward to reading more in this "world" and can't wait to see if Chess, Fi or, Elias get their own story.

With thanks to the author, Jodi McAlister, Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the eARC to read ahead of publication.

Rating: ★★★★★

Jodi McAlister is one of those authors I trust implicitly—she just gets contemporary romance. And An Academic Affair? Absolute gold. I defy anyone to read the first chapter and not fall head over heels for Jonah Fisher, the adorably awkward academic with a 15 year long crush on his fierce, no-nonsense rival, Sadie Shaw. The pining? Olympic level. The yearning? Off the charts.

Sadie is tough, driven in academia but nursing abandonment issues. Underneath the armour is a heart that absolutely deserves love. And while she’s technically Jonah’s rival, the chemistry between them is undeniable. She might not know she’s into him at first, but we do. And it’s delightful watching her realise it.

One of the unexpected standouts here is the supporting cast. Sadie’s sister Chess (short for Francesca) is a powerful, grounding force in her life, but their relationship and dependence on each other forms a catalyst in this book. It's a complex, layered relationship which I loved to see.

Jonah’s siblings Elias and Fiona are a total joy—especially as they grow closer despite an antagonist upbringing spurred on by their father. Speaking of which: Jonah’s dad? Grade-A, full-tilt academic douchebag. Ugh.

Set in beautiful Tasmania—arguably one of the most underrated romantic backdrops in fiction (and in the world IMHO)—the novel uses its setting beautifully. The food, the wine, the landscape, the history… it’s rich and atmospheric, adding just the right depth without stealing focus from the love story.

Now let’s talk tropes: enemies to lovers, only one bed, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, slow burn, and no third act breakup. Are you kidding me? That’s the holy grail of romance bingo. Plus, Jonah’s chapters come with footnotes. Literal academic footnotes. He’s a full-on nerd and I adored him for it.

And okay, I’m going to get briefly on my soapbox here: I love that this book digs into the misogyny of academia—not just in STEM, but in the liberal arts and literature spaces too. It’s rare to see that tackled in romance, and McAlister handles it with insight and heart. Yes, the arts are underfunded. Yes, they’re undervalued. But if we don’t preserve culture, history, and human stories, then what are we even doing? Humanities are, quite literally, the heart of humanity. Steps off soapbox (what? no applause? OK then)

All that aside, you don’t need to be deep into the politics of academia to enjoy this. If you love emotionally layered romance, whip-smart writing, funny rom-coms, sizzling slow burns, and characters you want to root for with your whole chest area, then this one’s for you. Five stars, easy. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—this is one I’ll be recommending to every romance reader I know.

⭐️ rating - 5/5 Tweed Blazers!

Sadie and Jonah have always been rivals. Since that first tutorial in their first year of university, they have been arguing about what is right in the world of literature. Over the years they have had many ceasefires but they always come crashing down, whether it’s due to their own stubbornness, disparity in their life experiences or larger than life family members, Sadie and Jonah just can’t seem to get along.
But one night over a random heartfelt kitchen conversation and a poorly mad microwave mug cake, that all begins to change.
Can Sadie and Jonah make their marriage work so they can both have their dream job? Can Jonah help his own sister rebuild her life and help Sadie reconnect with her own?
Can they really continue to ignore the feelings that inconveniently keep building between them?

This was a NetGalley review. I happened upon it after seeing another author I follow on Instagram post about it. I thought to myself ‘Oh a rivals to lovers and a marriage of convenience academic romance, this seems like my jam!’ And boy was I right!!!

I adore this story! Firstly it is a delightful slow burn romance. The very slowest of burns to be honest. Although what I really love about it, is its focus on what it means to work in academia, a workforce most people know little about, but that is akin to a gladiatorial arena style battle for most. This book takes this nuanced topic and brings it to the forefront, making it palatable for laypeople who know little of the industry.

I was as deeply invested in Sadie and Jonah career struggles as I was in their budding relationship. The characters have two very distinct voices and you can easily see how they have been academic rivals for so long, while also believing wholeheartedly about how they came to fall in love.
This story focuses beautifully on how different family dynamics work and how we support those we love anyway we can and how hard it can be to rebuild or repair damaged familiar relationships, but why it is paramount to do so.

My only gripe with this whole story is that I wanted more about all the subsidiary characters! McAlister builds such rich and enjoyable secondary characters and plot points you want to see them all through to their own ends. I need to know more about Elias and Julia! What about Fi, what will be her next chapter? And I have my suspicions about which “hotel” Chessie might have been staying in! Why did Sadie know that man’s voice that had her phone…. Oh I think I know but I don’t want to say it! I hope McAlister brings us all the stories and more in these character’s lives.

I loved it! Thank you Jodi McAlister it was a delight!

This charming book has all the things I love. There are books in all their guises, footnotes, wine bars lined with books, apartments with river views, clever people who fall in love and an evil corporation - this time a university - to be defeated. Jodi McAlister’s prose is lovely. She has such a delicate comedic sensibility that there were very many snippets I just had to read aloud to my husband. Sadie’s theory of the eucastrophe, the dramatic joy and hope that comes with a happy ending playfully frames the narrative. I loved the even handedness of the love story conveyed by Sadie’s and Jonah’s alternating narrations. I’m off to seek out Jodi’s back catalogue!

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the arc to review.

I have a soft spot for a book with footnotes. And Jodi McAlister rolls out the footnotes very nicely here thank you very much.

This story of rival academics, Sadie and Jonah, was great. Beautifully written and paced, it is a slow slow burn with lots of pining. It is told in first person dual POV and set in Sydney and Hobart.

Did I get a little bit smarter reading this? Maybe. This was a love letter to fiction with lots of references to literary fiction, romance fiction and early modern drama.

I felt as if the book ended suddenly and I really wanted more of a resolution with Sadie’s sister, Chess. But this is book 1 in the Literary Lovers series so I am totally invested in this world and look forward to more Chess in future books!

Sadie and Jonah are rivals - until Sadie obtains the highly coveted teaching position that they were both fighting for. Jonah wanted the job to move closer to his recently divorced sister, and Sadie finds herself feeling bad for beating Jonah to the job. Until, she notices the "partner hire" in her contract - and pitches an unhinged plan to Jonah to get them both what they want.

This was such a treat to read. I love when characters have already known each other for a long time, and know almost everything about each other. Their chemistry was the best, the book was overall well structured and written and was absolutely delightful to read.

For fans of:

💐 Romcoms
📚 Marriage of convenience (but make it modern)
💐 Rivals to lovers
📚 Australian academia settings

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for an e-ARC, all opinions are my own.

An Academic Affair is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance featuring two fiercely competitive academics, Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher. What began as spirited sparring in university lecture halls has simmered into a fifteen-year rivalry.
When a rare, full-time academic position opens at a university in Tasmania, Sadie and Jonah find themselves once again on opposing sides. Sadie secures the role—only to discover a surprising loophole in her contract. One that could allow both her and Jonah to land their dream jobs... if they’re married.
This story was such a joy to read! It hits all the right trope notes—slow burn, fake marriage, and rivals-turned-lovers—with a touch of spice to keep things interesting.

Told in alternating points of view from both Sadie and Jonah, the narrative is rich and layered. The inclusion of footnotes was a clever and entertaining touch! I really appreciated getting to know both characters deeply—their histories, motivations, and family dynamics all added meaningful context to their perspectives and personal growth.

Thanks to @netgalley @simonschusterau & @jodimcalister for the ARC 💙📚